Leicester voters strongly reject $1.5M override

LEICESTER — Voters in Leicester went to the polls and by a 3-to-1 ratio rejected a $1.5 million Proposition 2˝ override ballot question.

In the run-up to the vote, officials had conducted public forums and warned residents that town services would be adversely affected if the override failed.

The vote was 2,195 to 671. A total of 2,866 out of 7,247 registered voters cast ballots in four precincts.

After the election results were posted, Selectman Dianna Provencher said, "Now we go back to the drawing board and figure out where to go from here."

Sandy Wilson, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said she was not surprised by the outcome of the vote, based on what she was hearing around town, but she didn't expect the override to fail by such a large margin.

"I'm obviously disappointed. Now we're going to have to prepare a budget for town meeting voters and look at places where a lot of cuts will have to be made in order to have it balanced," Ms. Wilson said.

The Board of Selectmen next meets on Monday and the School Committee on Tuesday. Both sessions are expected to be dominated by budget talks. Additionally, a special town meeting Oct. 29 will allow residents a chance to make decisions on the community's finances.

For weeks, residents have been voicing their opinions and asking questions about the override at public forums. Opponents primarily contended that the level of tax increases would be disproportionately high and not affordable should the override occur. Others expressed concern that future override questions would be put forth.

Voters were faced with tax increases of $1.67 per $1,000 based on the estimated fiscal 2014 tax rate. The impact would have been a $367 increase on the annual tax bill for a single-family home with an assessed value of $220,000. Factoring in regular annual increases as well, that figure would jump to $497. For homeowners with $350,000 valuations, the total estimated increase would have been $791.

Officials have been warning that the library and senior center face significant consequences. Cuts to the library's hours put its certification in jeopardy, which, in turn, may result in lost grant money for construction and state aid. Closing the library entirely in this scenario has been proposed. Expected losses in staff hours at the senior center translate into fewer programs and assistance for the town's 2,500 seniors, selectmen have said.

Also, town meeting is expected to consider Police Department cuts, including the demotion of at least one sergeant and a reduction in public hours at the police station lobby. The Fire Department could lose training time, while the Highway Department may have to cut the number of contractors hired for snow and ice removal, and minimize road and drainage maintenance.

Selectmen had said at previous meetings that if the override failed, the issue of regional dispatch in conjunction with Worcester would likely be put "back on the table" even though funding for it could be a year or more away.

Harry Brooks, a town resident for 11 years who is president of the Friends of the Elders and a member of the Commission on Disabilities, also said that he didn't expect the margin to be so decisive. "I thought it would be a lot closer, based on talk around town over the past four weeks or so, as well as the number of 'yes' signs," Mr. Brooks said.

He said he has major concerns about the futures of the senior center, Public Works Department and library, and also is not sold on the possibility of regionalizing dispatch services. "Hopefully something can get worked out here so these closures and measures don't happen."

Town Administrator Kevin Mizikar, who started his job Monday, noted that the town is in dire need of more revenues, and because the override failed, the task at hand will be to look for ways to find savings and try to operate with additional cuts and level services.

"I'm disappointed," Mr. Mizikar added.

In the School Department, Superintendent Judy Paolucci said in a previous interview that an override failure would result in the elimination of seven full-time positions, including teachers, teacher aides and support staff, in addition to six other jobs cut earlier this year. The department would be forced to continue to defer maintenance and upgrades to technology, she said.